Side-by-Side Comparison: 手 vs. 持 vs. 打
Every kanji below contains the Hand (手) component. Bold readings indicate the primary WaniKani reading:
| Kanji & Meaning | Readings (Bold = Primary) | Shibashi Visual Mnemonic Story | Top Compound Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| 手 (Hand) | ON: しゅ KUN: て |
When you see your shoe friends playing tennis , wave your hand! | 手紙 (てがみ) — letter |
| 持 (Hold, Carry) | ON: じ KUN: も |
Sometimes God intervenes with Jesus work, and holds for a moment the time-bell. | 持つ (もつ) — to hold |
| 打 (Hit) | ON: だ KUN: う, ぶ |
Boom! !! Dad hit his finger instead of the nail. Oops ... | 打つ (うつ) — to hit |
How Each Kanji Uses the Hand (手) Visual Motif
1. 手 (Hand) — Hand Radical (手) in Context
On’yomi: しゅ | Kun’yomi: て
Shibashi Visual Story: “When you see your shoe friends playing tennis , wave your hand!”
2. 持 (Hold, Carry) — Hand Radical (手) in Context
On’yomi: じ | Kun’yomi: も
Shibashi Visual Story: “Sometimes God intervenes with Jesus work, and holds for a moment the time-bell.”
- 持つ (もつ): to hold
- 気持ち (きもち): feeling, mood
- 持ち上げる (もちあげる): to raise, to lift up, to flatter
3. 打 (Hit) — Hand Radical (手) in Context
On’yomi: だ | Kun’yomi: う, ぶ
Shibashi Visual Story: “Boom! !! Dad hit his finger instead of the nail. Oops ...”
- 打つ (うつ): to hit
Essential Japanese Vocabulary Words Built from the Hand (手) Family
Once you can recognize 手 (Hand), 持 (Hold), 打 (Hit) by their shared Hand (手) visual motif, practice reading them inside these high-frequency Japanese words from the Shibashi app:
| Japanese Word | Hiragana Reading | English Meaning | JLPT Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 手紙 | てがみ | letter | JLPT |
| 手 | て | hand | JLPT |
| 手間 | てま | time, labor | JLPT |
| 助手 | じょしゅ | helper, helpmeet, assistant, tutor | JLPT |
| 持つ | もつ | to hold | JLPT |
| 気持ち | きもち | feeling, mood | JLPT |
| 持ち上げる | もちあげる | to raise, to lift up, to flatter | JLPT |
| 打つ | うつ | to hit | JLPT |